The indefinite suspension being served by Ole Miss star guard Marshall Henderson is not a typical one. He will return to classes next week when the University of Mississippi opens its fall term. He will be involved in conditioning and weight training and organized skill drills run by coach Andy Kennedy and his staff.

He is suspended, though, make no mistake about that.

“He will miss games,” Kennedy told Sporting News. “The extent of that is yet to be determined as we go through this process.”

Henderson’s indefinite suspension was announced July 10. Kennedy said a plan was put in place at that point through the university administration for Henderson to return to full status with the Rebels.

“From the time I suspended him, he’s been 100 percent compliant with the plan,” Kennedy said. “And our hope is he will continue to make the strides necessary to get back on the court.”

Kennedy said Henderson’s adherence to that plan over the past six weeks meant he’d “earned that right” to be involved in basketball activities.

Henderson’s background includes stops at Utah, Texas Tech and South Plains Junior College, as well as a forgery conviction and 25 days spent in jail in 2012 for a probation violation that developed when he tested positive for marijuana and cocaine.

Henderson averaged 20.1 points and 3.1 rebounds for Ole Miss last season. He helped the Rebels to win the SEC Tournament title—Henderson was named the event’s MVP—and to advance to the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament, where they lost a close game to LaSalle.

His junior season was marked by substantial controversy, however, as Henderson taunted fans after a narrow road win at Auburn, mocked Florida’s “Gator chomp” cheer when Ole Miss was defeating Florida in the SEC championship game and was seen to make a doubly obscene gesture at the crowd after the team lost that LaSalle game.

After that was reported, he wrote a letter of apology to Ole Miss fans and pledged, “I need to show my teammates that I can be a leader for this team.”

That is what Kennedy is hoping to see from Henderson presuming he emerges from his suspension. Henderson is the only senior returning to the Rebels, and the team needs him to resemble one.

"As he did at the end of last season, when he admitted he’d made some mistakes and hoped to improve, he’s done that with us," Kennedy said. "He’s said, ‘I’ve done some things that put myself in a position where others have had to deal with it.’ Everything’s been positive.”

Few players ever have enjoyed more of a green light than Henderson did with the Rebels last season. He attempted more 3-pointers than anyone had in a single college season and made more than anyone had in the SEC. LeBron James commented on Twitter, “Man that dude Henderson from Ol Miss got the greenest light in basketball history!”

“You don’t think I’ve used that a few times in recruiting?” Kennedy said.

“I expect him to evolve into more than a shoot-first, ask-questions-later guy,” Kennedy said. “I will expect his game to evolve. Does that mean he’s not going to shoot a bunch of balls? No, because that’s what he does.”

Kennedy said as last season progressed he found himself needing less and less to correct Henderson in regards to shot selection. Essentially, Henderson governed himself in regards to when it was a good time to take a tough shot, and when it was not.

“He has a better understanding of how people view him, are going to challenge him,” Kennedy said.. “Off the court, he now he has a basis of information to go by. On the court, he has a better understanding of how people are going to play him.

“I definitely think he’ll be a better player as well as able to handle all the other things.”

Now, Henderson is having to handle his life off the court with greater care.